By Jana Gous
On Saturday 4 October, seventy Stellenbosch students ran 5km at Jan Marais Park with a shared purpose: to confront the homelessness crisis. The Run 4 Humans event was hosted by Humans4Humans, which is a non-profit student organisation that supports the Stellenbosch Night Shelter through its coupon system.
Each coupon sold provides someone in need with a night’s bed, two meals, a shower and access to social services. All 50 coupons made available at the run were sold, while participants also donated non-perishable food items for the shelter.
The run was organised by Micaela Staal, a third-year BAcc student. “We decided to host the run since it’s the easiest way to reach people, as students feel like they’re doing something fun but also meaningful. No person is too small to make a difference,” she explained.
Leigh Japhet, a second-year BSc (Conservation Ecology) student and the founder of Humans4Humans, said the run reflects a bigger mission: to shift social apathy into action. “As students we see and interact with people experiencing homelessness every day. Stellenbosch is full of bright minds, so why not use that collective energy to create change?” he said.
The event was marketed less than two weeks prior, yet the turnout surpassed their expectations. “It shows there’s a real desire among students to help,” Staal added as “apathy doesn’t work”. The Bean There Coffee sponsors added to the sense of community, which created a space for the runners to meet each other and connect after the run.
Japhet explains that he doesn’t believe that we should be reinventing the wheel but keep that wheel turning efficiently. Therefore, it is promoting and helping a system that works well already. “I truly believe that night shelter facilities provide a holistic approach to the issue and it is the right platform to allow the homeless to change their current situation.”
With the success of the first event, Humans4Humans plans to host a run each term, where they help dignify vulnerability and change the tide of homelessness in Stellenbosch.
For any further information, please visit the Stellenbosch Night Shelter website to see what items you can donate and where to purchase coupons.
If you would like to get involved, feel free to follow them on Instagram @humans4humans.za and send a DM to join the WhatsApp group for updates on their future projects.
